Heroes Like Us: Two Stories: The Day We Met the Queen; The Great Food Bank Heist

by Onjali Q Raúf (Author)

Heroes Like Us: Two Stories: The Day We Met the Queen; The Great Food Bank Heist
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

From Onjali Q. Rauf, acclaimed author of The Boy At the Back of the Class, come two poignant tales of modern-day heroism, featuring supermarket theives, a visit with the Queen, and plenty of laughs!

Ten-year old Ahmet, once known as the "Boy at the Back of the Class", became the Most Famous Refugee Boy in the World when he and his friends stood up for refugee children like him all over Britain. But they're just getting started!

THE DAY WE MET THE QUEEN

Ahmet and his friends have been invited to tea--by none other than the Queen of England herself! But when their journey is unexpectedly interrupted by an old enemy, it will take some quick thinking and an ingenious plan to make it to the palace--and the queen--on time.

THE GREAT FOOD BANK HEIST

On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the food bank. With its shining cans and boxes of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it's the best kind of bank there is. But there's a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day. One thing is for certain: someone has to put a stop to the robberies. And Nelson and his friends plan to do just that, with a daring supermarket stake-out that's sure to catch the Food Bank Theives--if they don't get found out first!

In this two-novella collection, discover kid heroes making a difference in the world, featuring old friends and some new classmates you won't want to leave.

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$16.99

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Kirkus Reviews

Engaging and a solid conversation starter.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6--This new book by Raúf (The Boy at the Back of the Class) features two novellas about kid heroes. In the first, "The Day We Met the Queen," Alexa and the other characters from The Boy at the Back of the Class are excitedly awaiting their scheduled tea with the Queen of England. Ahmet is particularly excited to show the Queen the backpack he brought with him from Syria, and to ask her what she plans to do to help other refugees like him. But when the students are asked to give a presentation at school the day before the tea, the assembly is interrupted by stink bombs. The second novella, "The Great Food Bank Heist," follows a boy named Nelson, who is always hungry. His mother's salary doesn't always provide enough to buy groceries for him and his little sister, and they rely on their visits to the local food bank to survive. Although "The Day We Met the Queen" is simpler and not quite as well developed as The Boy at the Back of the Class, fans of Alexa, Ahmet, and their friends will be happy to read their latest adventure. Hopefully they'll stick around to read "The Great Food Bank Heist," which presents a compelling, moving depiction of life for kids facing food insecurity. The stakeout and pursuit of the food bank robbers makes for an exciting, high-stakes conclusion. VERDICT These two short novellas will appeal to fans of The Boy at the Back of the Class, as well as middle graders who like modern-day adventure stories.--Ashley Larsen

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Onjali Q Raúf
Onjali Q. Raúf is the founder and CEO of Making HerStory, a UK nonprofit that works to fight human trafficking and gender-based abuses and crimes. She is the author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, The Star Outside My Window, and The Night Bus Hero. She lives in the UK. You can find her on Twitter at @OnjaliRauf.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593488195
Lexile Measure
970
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Delacorte Press
Publication date
November 20, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039070 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Homelessness & Poverty
Library of Congress categories
Fiction
Friendship
Refugees
London (England)
England
London
Syrians

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